Chat with David Hale

Welcome to NoleNation! On Tuesday, reporter David Hale stops by to chat about the state of Florida State football.

Hale joined ESPN.com in 2012 after covering the Philadelphia Phillies for The News Journal in Wilmington, Del., and the University of Georgia for The Macon Telegraph. Hale has written about college and professional sports since 2004 and currently lives in Tallahassee, Fla.

David Hale

(11:01 AM)

Hey kids, happy Tuesday. With FSU advancing to the super regionals, I'm happy to talk some baseball. Of course, football is always a hot topic, so fire away with questions.

David Hale

(11:01 AM)

One note... I'm swamped with my schedule today, so we may be a bit shorter on time than usual. I'll do my best to get in as many answers as possible though.

kay (nc)

I have yet to see the number 1 ranked team play on ESPNU. If UNC wins tonight, do you think ESPNU will televise the Number 1 ranked team in the super regionals next week?

David Hale

(11:02 AM)

I don't have anything to do with programming, but I can say that the game last night was pretty intense.

Chris Fiegler (Latham,NY)

What College Football Freshmen do you think will be the best for Florida State in 2013?

David Hale

(11:04 AM)

We're doing a "rankings week" schtick at Nole Nation this week, and that's our Thursday list, actually. But I don't think it's any surprise to say that, if we're including RS freshmen, Jameis Winston will be the one to make the biggest impact. If we're talking just true freshmen though, I'd probably lean toward Kermit Whitfield right now, with other possibilities including Demarcus Walker, Ryan Green, Ira Denson, Jalen Ramsey...

Zach (Davenport)

Any updates on Matthew Thomas

David Hale

(11:05 AM)

And speaking of potential impact freshmen... Honestly, I've got nothing new to report. From what I've been told, the family is not all together at the moment (Mom is away) and that's the biggest hold up. Mom is the biggest FSU supporter, and so Jimbo's waiting until she can be in the room for a final chat in person. They've kept the lines of communication open, but right now, we're in a bit of a holding pattern.

Jeff (Charlotte)

I know Miami has the NCAA to deal with, but all 3 Florida schools seem to be on the up and up...how do you rank the 3 programs with UF, FSU and Miami over the next couple of years

David Hale

(11:06 AM)

Good question... the NCAA stuff has really been a dark cloud that never seems to go away for Miami, but I think Al Golden is doing a nice job of compartmentalizing it all and still making some hay on the recruiting trail. It's a work in progress still, but as you said, it's headed in the right direction.

David Hale

(11:08 AM)

I'd probably rank the programs UF, FSU, Miami, in that order, though I think the UF/FSU battle could really go in either direction. I give the Gators a slight edge because of the advantages of being in the SEC for both recruiting, championship potential and, of course, financial revenue. The $$ is the biggest disadvantage FSU has, and while I think the ACC is taking some major strides toward evening the playing field, we're still a ways away from learning for sure how well it will all work out.

Jeff (Charlotte)

Jimbo is pretty set in his ways, but do you think there is any chance he molds his offense more to fit Jameis's skill set to hopefully get the most production possible? FSU seems they will go as far as their QB will take them

David Hale

(11:10 AM)

This is one of the questions I've gotten the most this offseason, and it's something I'd love to pose to Jimbo himself, except that a.) he's had very limited availability and b.) he's not even willing to say Jameis is definitely the starter. I do think that any coach has to know what his talent is and call plays accordingly, but the offense isn't going to change dramatically. Jimbo has said many times, he's not a fan of the up-tempo style that Oregon or A&#x26;M runs, and he's not going to suddenly become a run-n-shoot guy just because he's got a guy who can sling it at QB. If anything, I'd wonder if he calls things a bit more conservatively in the early going as Jameis gets his feet wet.

David Hale

(11:10 AM)

And I think it's worth mentioning, too -- EJ had one heck of a skill set, too, and he was a fifth-year senior last year who knew the playbook inside and out. Winston's skills aren't dramatically different from EJ's but he's got a lot less experience.

B Mand (Sarasota, FL)

Do you see Franklin sticking at QB once he arrives on campus, or being moved to another position?

David Hale

(11:12 AM)

My instinct is to say he'll eventually move, but Jimbo has shown a willingness to let guys play where they think they fit best. He's done it with Lamarcus and Wilder. In fact, that's part of the reason FSU got Wilder. But Jimbo's also a smart guy, and he's seen things in guys like Rhodes and Erving that led him to make a position change -- and that worked out really well. So my hunch is, Franklin will be given every chance at QB in the early going, but he'll have to prove that's where he belongs once he's here.

B Mand (Sarasota, FL)

Have you heard anything about the rumors of Randy Sanders being named the head coach at ETSU?

David Hale

(11:16 AM)

I've only heard things from outside sources -- no one at FSU. It would make some sense since Sanders is familiar with the area and has a good relationship with Phil Fulmer, who is on the search committee. I think it'd be a blow for FSU if Sanders left because he knows QBs, and from a personality standpoint, I think he's a good counter to Jimbo's intensity. From the sounds of it, ETSU can make a decent offer, and HC jobs don't come about all that often, so I imagine Sanders would have to at least consider it. But it really speaks to the type of hires Jimbo made this offseason that he's already got other teams looking to poach...

David Hale

(11:19 AM)

Jeff (Charlotte)

If Sanders does leave, who would Jimbo get? No OC and no QB coach is trouble for a young guy like Winston or Coker

David Hale

(11:21 AM)

That's definitely true, but I doubt there'd be a vacancy for too long. I like Sanders, and I think he was an excellent hire, but there's actually some advantage in that he has only been around for 6 months, so it's not like Craig leaving after having built a long term rapport with his QBs. Plus, let's face it... when it comes to calling the offense and guiding the QBs, Jimbo is at the front of the line on both.

Jeff (Charlotte)

Any chance FSU gets JC back or do you think he is a Gator since he seemed to be liking them the whole time

David Hale

(11:23 AM)

I haven't talked to the kid, so that's probably a question better posed to our recruiting writer, Corey (he'll chat later this week), but my experience is, when a guy de-commits, there's a far better shot he's gone for good than there is of him coming back. But there's still a long way to signing day, and a lot can change. Maybe the coaches he likes at UF end up bolting or something like that -- you never know.

Kenneth (Carmel, CA)

I realize the purpose of the 5 point plan laid out by the AD is an orchestrated attempt to improve facilities and generate revenue but is FSU in true NEED of revenue? I know some of the facilities need upgrades, but where does FSU stand in terms of total revenue among major college athletic programs, I though they're already in the top 10.

David Hale

(11:26 AM)

All good questions, and honestly, I don't have the most recent numbers to tell you. But what I can say is that there are a few significant items at play: 1.) It's not just revenue alone, but revenue vs. costs, and FSU's costs have gone way up in the past 3-4 years. 2.) It's not just revenue compared to where it used to be, but revenue compared to competition regionally -- which means the SEC. And SEC teams are getting A LOT of $$$. It's a keeping up with the Joneses mentality. 3.) The No. 1 generator of revenue by a wide, wide margin for the entire athletics dept. is football, and thanks to the lackluster schedule the past couple years and the down economy everywhere, attendance has been stagnant or decreasing. You've got to have a way to turn that around, and I think that's part of the plan.

David Hale

(11:26 AM)

Spetman will be presenting his plan to the BOT on Thursday, so we should get a lot more specifics then, and I think it's something we'll follow up on quite a bit here.

B Mand (Sarasota, FL)

All year, I thought this baseball team was built for the postseason because of the strong pitching and timely hitting. Do you think this is the year 11 finally gets his championship?

David Hale

(11:29 AM)

That's tough to predict, but boy, the regional and super regional draw has been pretty good for FSU, and as you said, I think that starting pitching is the key. I'm not sure I'd call this Martin's best team -- but you may be right in that it's the one that's best built for this time of year.

Kenneth (Carmel, CA)

Bowden's decision to join the SEC over the ACC a few decades ago may have helped win the NCs, but there's no reason that couldn't have been done in the SEC and now it appears that move is costing them tens of millions of dollars annually, is that an accurate assessment?

David Hale

(11:31 AM)

Yes and no. Would FSU be in a better position financially now and over the long run in the SEC? Sure... but there's a lot that goes into that decision, and the college football landscape looked A LOT different 20 years ago. Who could have predicted all of this in 1990? Plus, what if joining the SEC back then meant you don't have those two national titles now? Again, you can never really know how things would've panned out. The best you can do is look at the situation you're currently in and try to find a plan that will build you the best future. I think FSU is taking the steps to do that, but there's just not much point in lamenting a decision you made more than two decades ago now.

B Mand (Sarasota, FL)

Not sure how much insight you have in this area, but do you think Spetman will be employed long enough to see out his 5 year plan?

David Hale

(11:33 AM)

Hope this doesnt come off sounding like circular logic, but I think the 5-year plan has a lot to say about whether he'll be around in 5 years. If it's received well, and he has the specifics to back up the general ideas, then I think there's a good chance he gets an extension. I think Spetman's critics suggest he hasn't really done much, but FSU has made some good strides on his watch. And the fact that he's open to letting others have a say in how the program grows (Barron, BOT, Jimbo) actually may play well. I'd be a little surprised to see a long-term investment, but if the proposal goes well, I could see a 2 or 3-year contract.

Jeff (Charlotte)

FSU's schedule next year looks hard on paper, but Louisville should be Bridgewaterless, Clemson should be Boydless, ND looks like they just took a big blow and lose even more on defense. Does this make it look good for FSU on paper but I feel they should be the favorite in all of those games?

David Hale

(11:36 AM)

Yeah, that's a really good point -- and it's something I've always tried to preach regarding the schedule. It's really hard to predict who's going to be good in 2013, so how can we look at 2014 and beyond and say with any certainty how tough a schedule will be? Plus, you're getting Clemson, UF and ND at home. But don't get me wrong... add in Miami to that mix and it's far from an easy slate.

Daniel (SF, CA)

Is there a reason FSU can't build up its basketball program more in the ACC, a seemingly basketball first conference? I understand the facilities aren't top notch but why can't they garner better recruiting classes, if they continually cannot do so isn't it time to find a coach than can take advantage of being in a basketball conference?

David Hale

(11:38 AM)

The basketball conference logic works both ways... if you're a top recruit who wants to play in the ACC, why go to one of the few schools where the facilities are lacking and you'll always be overshadowed by football? That doesn't mean FSU can't recruit top talent (and Leonard has gotten some decent players here) but it's never going to be in the same class with UNC, Duke, Syracuse, etc. without some major financial investments.

Ed (Queens Village)

With ACC adding new schools from Big East. Does FSU start recruiting the new school areas for football and basketball?

David Hale

(11:39 AM)

Good question... and I think it does open a big market for them. It's funny because the Big 10 talks about getting into NY and DC, but I'm from the Northeast, and I can tell you that Syracuse is a bigger name in NY and Virginia Tech is a bigger name in DC, so to me, the ACC really still has that edge. And I can also say that Brewster and Sunseri seem serious about taking a more national approach to recruiting, so I think you'll start to see a few more guys trickle in from that area.

Kyle (Fl)

David, who do you see getting in the two deep rotation at the two safety positions?

David Hale

(11:41 AM)

This is an intriguing situation, Kyle, because FSU has the athletes to do it, but beyond Brooks and Karlos (and Joyner, of course) there's not anyone who has a lot of true safety experience. I know PJ Williams has come in as a CB, but I think he projects well at safety, too, and Jimbo is very high on him. With Joyner's move, it may make sense to give Tyler Hunter some work there, too. We just didn't get any real indication this spring because so many of the DBs were out with injuries.

B Mand (Sarasota, FL)

Who is the most entertaining/engaging football player you have interviewed/interacted with?

David Hale

(11:43 AM)

Wow, there's a bunch. Not to sound un-objective, but my favorite person I've dealt with at FSU was definitely Chris Thompson. You're just not going to meet a more personable, friendly, engaging and humble kid than that. But there are a lot of really good guys. I liked Greg Reid quite a bit. James Wilder is funny and a great talker. Vince Williams fits that bill, too. Lonnie Pryor wasn't always the best quote for a story, but he was usually the funniest guy in the room. Karlos, Terrence Brooks, Amp McCloud... oh, and of course, Lamarcus Joyner is another of my favorites.

David Hale

(11:44 AM)

Long story short, FSU fans should be really proud of the number of high quality guys they have in this program. Not all of them are perfect, and of couse we don't always see what's going on behind the scenes, but there are some kids here that are genuinely good human beings beyond just what they do on the football field.

David Hale

(11:45 AM)

And on that note, I'm gonna call it a day... got a couple big stories I'm working on, so hopefully there will be some great content coming your way in the days to come.

David Hale

(11:45 AM)

Thanks for all the great questions, folks. We'll do it again next week!